Board Game Groups in Bangalore – Have You Rolled the Dice?

Did you know that there are many board game groups in Bangalore? Not just children, adults enjoy the games too. The level of complication and strategic thinking required in these games though might be a little more than the average game of Ludo or Snakes and Ladders. Read to find out more about Bangalore’s board game groups and community.

When you think of board games, children playing Ludo is probably one of the first things to come to mind. But, are children the only ones who enjoy board games? The rising number of board-gaming communities begs to differ.

Board games in Bangalore are for everyone. More and more people are turning towards board game events to shake off their office stresses. Playing a game and winning it can make a person instantly feel brighter and more alive. Since you can’t play a game against yourself, this is also a great way to meet new people.

Why Board Games

Board games are a good opportunity to meet new people

Board games are expensive in India given the high customs duties they attract

The best way to build your board game collection is to ask people coming from the US to carry one or two back with them.

Board Game Groups in Bangalore

ReRoll: The Bangalore Board Games Collective – It is the largest board gaming group in India. The group has 803 followers on the Facebook page. The group organized board game nights known as Tabletop Thursdays almost every week for anyone who would like to come and play.

The events see serious gamers, as well as amateurs, come together. Once every few weeks, ReRoll also organizes marathon gaming sessions known as a “Seriously Fun Game Day”.

There are a number of smaller groups as well. The Dice N Dine Restaurant in Koramangala organizes weekly board game evenings as well. Hoppipola is another place where Bangaloreans can enjoy a game or two.

Board Game Groups in Bangalore – Challenges

Running a group like ReRoll isn’t all fun and games. The core members all have full-time day jobs that help finance their hobby. After all, board games are expensive. Many games are not available in India, Those that are available attract a high customs duty and are very expensive.

So why aren’t more games available inexpensively – there are many reasons for this.

Imported toys and entertainment products have always been a heavily taxed sector. Recently custom duties for these toys and games were hiked further. After custom duties are added, games like Star Wars: Rebellion retail for more than Rs 8000. Since the market for such high-priced games is limited; it doesn’t seem like a good business idea for most importers.

Another reason there aren’t too many players in this market is that a game can easily become unsellable even before it reaches the shop floor. On many occasions, customs officials open the outer packing of the games to inspect them. This can cause severe damage after which the games cannot be sold.

The Solution

The core members of ReRoll together own about 100 board games. This collection has built up over the years. Most of these games have been brought back by friends and family members from their trips abroad.

Board Game Groups in Bangalore – Popular Board Games

There are many different types of board games popular today. Some are played individually while others are played in teams. Some are strategy based while others are more about luck. The most popular board games today are: